Vein harvesting system and method

Abstract

A tissue illumination system and a method for harvesting a section of a blood vessel from a patient's body for further use. The tissue illumination system includes a light catheter inserted into a lumen of the blood vessel section to illuminate the vessel section and vessel side branches with an intensity which is visible to the physician from an exterior of the vessel section and also includes a viewing element insertable into the lumen and capable of viewing the illuminated vessel section. The tissue illumination system also includes at least one tool insertable into the lumen and used to harvest the vessel section.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for harvesting a section of a vessel from an incision in a human or animal body, the system comprising:
 a telescoping member having a first segment and a second segment, wherein the second segment is sized to fit within a lumen of the first segment, and wherein the second segment is adjustable to move from a first position in which a portion of the second segment is disposed within a portion of the first segment to a second position that is distal to the first position; 
 a blunt tip extending distally relative to a distal end of the telescoping member, wherein the blunt tip tapers at a distal end; 
 a cutting assembly associated with the second segment so that when the second segment is in the second position the cutting assembly is actuatable via an actuator to cut a blood vessel, wherein the cutting assembly is disposed off-center with respect to a central axis of the telescoping member; and 
 an optic line disposed within the telescoping member so a dissection area is seeable via the optic line. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an optical viewing detector for viewing an area immediately adjacent the distal end of the telescoping member, wherein the optic line is a fiber optic line connected to the optical viewing detector. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an elongate tool comprising a curved portion at a distal region thereof for at east partially circumscribing the vessel section, wherein the elongate tool is inserted through the telescoping member. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting assembly is configured to cut and cauterize the blood vessel. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting assembly employs bipolar energy to cauterize the blood vessel. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein when the second segment is in the second position, some portion of the second segment extends out of the lumen of the first segment. 
     
     
       7. A system for harvesting a section of a vessel from an incision in a human or animal body, the system comprising:
 a device made of rigid material and having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the device includes a first segment and a second segment, wherein the second segment is sized to fit within a lumen of the first segment, and wherein the second segment is adjustable to move from a first position in which at least a portion of the second segment is disposed within a portion of the first segment to a second position that is distal to the first position; 
 a blunt tip extending distally relative to the distal end of the device, wherein the blunt tip tapers at a distal end; 
 a cutting assembly associated with the second segment so that when the second segment is in the second position the cutting assembly is actuatable via an actuator attached to the device made of rigid material to cut and cauterize a blood vessel, wherein the cutting assembly is disposed off-center with respect to a central axis of the device made of rigid material; and 
 an optic line disposed within the device so a dissection area is seeable via the optic line. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the cutting assembly employs bipolar energy to cauterize the blood vessel. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7 , wherein when the second segment is in the second position, some portion of the second segment extends out of the lumen of the first segment. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 7 , wherein when the first segment is cylindrical and rigid. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein when the second segment is cylindrical and rigid. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the rigid material is metal or plastic. 
     
     
       13. A system for harvesting a section of a vessel from an incision in a human or animal body, the system comprising:
 a telescoping member having a first segment and a second segment, wherein the second segment is sized to fit within a lumen of the first segment, and wherein the second segment is adjustable to move from a first position in which a portion of the second segment is disposed within a portion of the first segment to a second position that is distal to the first position; 
 a blunt tip extending distally relative to a distal end of the telescoping member, wherein the blunt tip tapers at a distal end; 
 an optical path extending through the telescoping member to provide a view of a dissection area through the telescoping member; and 
 a cutting assembly associated with the second segment so that when the second segment is in the second position the cutting assembly is actuatable via an actuator to cut a blood vessel in the view of the dissection area, wherein the cutting assembly is disposed off-center with respect to a central axis of the telescoping member. 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the optical path is provided by a fiber optic line. 
     
     
       15. A system for harvesting a section of a vessel from an incision in a human or animal body, the system comprising:
 a device made of rigid material and having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the device includes a first segment and a second segment, wherein the second segment is sized to fit within a lumen of the first segment, and wherein the second segment is adjustable to move from a first position in which at least a portion of the second segment is disposed within a portion of the first segment to a second position that is distal to the first position; 
 a blunt tip extending distally relative to the distal end of the device, wherein the blunt tip tapers at a distal end; 
 an optical path extending through the telescoping member to provide a view of a dissection area through the telescoping member; and 
 a cutting assembly associated with the second segment so that when the second segment is in the second position the cutting assembly is actuatable via an actuator attached to the device made of rigid material to cut a blood vessel adjacent the distal end of the device that is in view through the optical path, wherein the cutting assembly is disposed off-center with respect to a central axis of the device made of rigid material. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the optical path is provided by a fiber optic line. 
     
     
       17. A system for harvesting a section of a vessel from an incision in a human or animal body, the system comprising:
 a telescoping member having a first segment and a second segment, wherein the second segment is sized to fit within a lumen of the first segment, and wherein the second segment is adjustable to move from a first position in which the second segment is disposed within the first segment to a second position that is distal to the first position; 
 a blunt tip extending distally relative to a distal end of the telescoping member, wherein the blunt tip tapers at a distal end; 
 an optical path extending through the telescoping member to provide a view of a dissection area through the telescoping member; and 
 a cutting assembly associated with the second segment so that when the second segment is in the second position the cutting assembly is actuatable to cut a blood vessel in the view of the dissection area, wherein the cutting assembly is disposed off-center with respect to a central axis of the telescoping member. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the optical path is provided by a fiber optic line. 
     
     
       19. A system for harvesting a section of a vessel from an incision in a human or animal body, the system comprising:
 a telescoping member having a first segment and a second segment, wherein the second segment is sized to fit within a lumen of the first segment, and wherein the second segment is adjustable to move from a first position in which a portion of the second segment is disposed within a portion of the first segment to a second position that is distal to the first position; 
 a means of limiting axial movement of the first segment and the second segment relative to each other; 
 a blunt tip extending distally relative to a distal end of the telescoping member, wherein the blunt tip tapers at a distal end; and 
 a cutting assembly associated with the second segment so that when the second segment is in the second position the cutting assembly is actuatable via an actuator to cut a blood vessel, wherein the cutting assembly is disposed off-center with respect to a central axis of the telescoping member. 
 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19 , wherein the means of limiting axial movement of the first segment and the second segment relative to each other comprises a dimple arranged to stop axial movement of the second segment at a distal most position relative to the first segment. 
     
     
       21. A system for harvesting a section of a vessel from an incision in a human or animal body, the system comprising:
 a device made of rigid material and having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the device includes a first segment and a second segment, wherein the second segment is sized to fit within a lumen of the first segment, and wherein the second segment is adjustable to move from a first position in which at least a portion of the second segment is disposed within a portion of the first segment to a second position that is distal to the first position; 
 a means of limiting axial movement of the first segment and the second segment relative to each other; 
 a blunt tip extending distally relative to the distal end of the device, wherein the blunt tip tapers at a distal end; and 
 a cutting assembly associated with the second segment so that when the second segment is in the second position the cutting assembly is actuatable via an actuator attached to the device made of rigid material to cut a blood vessel, wherein the cutting assembly is disposed off-center with respect to a central axis of the device made of rigid material. 
 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 21 , wherein the means of limiting axial movement of the first segment and the second segment relative to each other comprises a dimple arranged to stop axial movement of the second segment at a distal most position relative to the first segment.